also: かわげた
stringer; slanted staircase beam
Technical term in architecture for the inclined beam supporting the steps of a staircase.
The staircase stringer is deteriorating, so reinforcement work is needed.
Standard kanji form for this architectural term.
Alternate reading; がわげた is more common.
Compound of 側 (gawa, 'side') and 桁 (keta, 'beam'). The reading がわげた is a standard rendaku form.